Charlie Sheen To Write Memoir On HIV
Actor Charlie Sheen plans to write a tell-all memoir about his life, including thoughts on his HIV positive status as well as a personal glimpse into his career in the entertainment industry that spans over 40 years.
Entertainment Tonight reports that Mark Burg, Sheen’s manager, is in negotiations with publishers for Sheen to write a memoir that not only details his career but also his battle of living with HIV. The 50-year-old actor learned he was HIV positive nearly four years ago, but only recently came forward with the shattering revelation. A media executive close to Sheen confirmed this week that Burg is currently looking over offers on Sheen’s behalf.
“There is a vulnerability, combined with brilliance that would certainly make a book that Americans would want to read because they clearly want to watch him on the big and the small screen. There is an appeal to getting inside his head which is never anything people have had access to.”
In an interview last Tuesday with Matt Lauer on The Today Show, Sheen spoke candidly about his health, and although he indicated he didn’t know when or how he contracted HIV, he did recall his health deteriorating around four years ago in which he dealt with “crushing headaches and insane migraines.”
The former Two and a Half Men actor also acknowledged that he was finally coming forward after being extorted for close to $10 million in order for others to keep his illness a secret.
“What people forget is that that’s money they’re taking from my children. I trusted them and they were deep in my inner circle, and I thought they could be helpful. My trust turned to their treason.”
Sheen hopes that putting his story into words will help people understand that he’s not a monster who purposely damaged people’s health. In fact, the actor claimed that there is no way he could have knowingly passed the virus on to anyone else, as he’s only been with two people since he found out, and both partners knew beforehand and had care by his physicians.
Regardless, some people are upset that Sheen didn’t come forward sooner, including actress and host of the SiriusXM show Dirty Sexy Funny, Jenny McCarthy. The Washington Post reports that McCarthy took aim at Sheen for not informing the producers of Two and a Half Men about his health. McCarthy had a recurring role on the show in which she “made out” with the actor.
“Before we do a job, we have to sign a piece of paper that says, ‘Do you have cold sores? I’m like, ‘Wait a second. If I have to be upfront about a herpe [sic], how could you not be upfront about HIV?’ I look back and I’m like, that would have been valuable information. I mean, look how many people have played his love interest on the show.”
Yet kissing will not spread the HIV virus like a cold sore can, something McCarthy said she understands, but she still feels it’s a dangerous situation to put anyone in.
“I mean, not that you can, obviously, get it through kissing. But still, that’s a big deal.”
Meanwhile, Sheen’s physician, Dr. Robert Huizenga, was quick to clarify that Sheen is HIV positive but does not have AIDS. The actor has already started treatment that’s working well for him, and according to Huizenga, Sheen’s bigger concern should be dealing with depression and substance abuse.
“My biggest concern with Charlie as a patient is substance abuse and depression from the disease, more than what the HIV virus can do in terms of shortening his life because it’s not going to.”
Although Charlie Sheen admitted that drinking a little still helps him, family and friends are hoping that expressing his fears and anxieties creatively through writing will help him deal with depression through a more positive way.
[Photo Courtesy of Michael Buckner/Getty Images]
